The Vigil of Corpus Christi
Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ,
Today, on this Vigil of beautiful feast of Corpus Christi, we hear Jesus say something astonishing: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever."
Now, let's be honest. If someone walked into town today and announced, "Good news, everyone! I am bread!" we would probably call a doctor!
But Jesus wasn't speaking nonsense. He was revealing one of the greatest mysteries of our faith: that He gives Himself completely to us in the Holy Eucharist.
And that brings us to a very special member of our parish family today: Matteo, who is receiving his First Holy Communion.
Matteo, congratulations! Today is a big day for you and for us.
At ten years old, many children are experts in important things like video games, finding Wi-Fi passwords, and explaining to their parents why cleaning their room is apparently impossible.
But today, you are receiving something much greater than any game, gadget, or toy. Today, you receive Jesus Himself.
My Friends, today's Gospel is about hunger.
Not physical hunger. We know physical hunger very well.
Some of us cannot drive past a fast-food restaurant without hearing a mysterious voice saying, "Turn in. Turn in now."
Some people claim they are on a diet.
They say, "I only eat salads."
Then they order a salad with bacon, cheese, chicken, croutons, ranch dressing, and a side of fries.
At that point, the lettuce is just there as a witness.
But Jesus is talking about a deeper hunger.
Every human heart is hungry for something.
We hunger for love. We hunger for meaning. We hunger for peace. We hunger for forgiveness. We hunger for happiness.
And many people spend their entire lives trying to fill that hunger with things that never satisfy.
A new car satisfies for about a month. A new phone satisfies until the next model comes out three weeks later. Some of us buy things online and forget what we ordered.
A package arrives at the door. You open it. And it's like Christmas from your past self.
"What did I buy?" "I have no idea, but apparently I wanted it very badly."
Jesus says there is only one thing that can truly satisfy the deepest hunger of the human heart: Himself.
That is why He gives us the Eucharist.
Now think about this. God could have chosen many ways to remain with us. He could have left us a monument taller than every skyscraper. He could have written His name across the stars every night.
Instead, He chose bread. Simple. Ordinary. Humble.
Because that is how God works.
God hides greatness in simplicity.
He hid divinity in a baby in Bethlehem. He hid salvation in a cross. And now He hides His presence in the Eucharist.
That's why every Mass is a miracle.
Sometimes people say, "Father, I wish I could have lived during the time of Jesus." Really? Think about that.
If you lived in Galilee, maybe you would have seen Jesus once from the back of a crowd.
You might have been standing behind a tall fisherman.
You would spend the whole day saying, "Can somebody move? I can't see anything!"
Today, at every Mass, we come closer to Jesus than most people did during His earthly life.
He comes to us. He enters hearts of good people. He walks with us. That is extraordinary.
And yet we can become so familiar with it that we forget how amazing it is.
It's a little like married couples. After many years together, a husband asks his wife, "Do you still love me?"
She says, "Of course."
He says, "You never tell me."
She replies, "I told you on our wedding day. If anything changes, I'll let you know."
Fortunately, God doesn't work that way.
He tells us over and over again: "I love you." And it is not fake love.
Every Mass. Every Eucharist. Every Communion.
"I love you." "Stay with Me." "Let Me stay with you."
And Matteo, today Jesus says those same words to you.
He is not giving you a symbol. He is not giving you a souvenir. He is giving you Himself.
Years from now, you may not remember every gift you receive.
You may forget many birthdays.
You may forget who won a particular soccer game.
You may even forget some of your school lessons -although please don't tell your teachers I said that.
But never forget this day.
Never forget that Jesus came to you in a special way on your First Communion day.
And to the rest of us, today's feast asks an important question.
Do we approach Holy Communion with faith and a clean heart? Or has it become routine?
When we come forward, are we thinking about Jesus? Or are we thinking about dinner?
Let's be honest. Sometimes the answer is dinner.
For some Catholics, the greatest miracle at Mass is how quickly they can be in the parking lot after the final blessing.
The priest says, "The Mass is ended."
And suddenly they're training for the Olympics.
But Corpus Christi invites us to slow down and remember what we are receiving.
The Eucharist is not a thing. The Eucharist is a Person. Jesus Christ. Alive. Present. Loving. Waiting. Feeding us with His own life.
That is why saints throughout history loved the Eucharist so deeply.
They understood that every Communion is a meeting with Christ.
Every Communion strengthens us. Every Communion heals us. Every Communion draws us closer to Heaven.
My Brothers & Sisters, the world offers many things that promise happiness. Most of them disappoint.
Jesus offers Himself. And He never disappoints.
Today, let us thank God for the gift of the Eucharist.
Let us pray especially for Matteo on his First Holy Communion.
May this not be the end of a journey but the beginning of a lifelong friendship with Jesus.
And may all of us leave this church today with renewed wonder, renewed gratitude, and renewed faith in the words of our Lord: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever." Amen.